Authentication of the traditional Chinese medicinal plant Saussurea involucrate using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)

Saussurea involucrate (Kar. et Kir.) Sch.-Bip. (Asteraceae) has been used as a traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of rheumatic arthritis and lower abdominal pain [1]. Some other Saussurea species, in particular, S. eriocephala, S. hypsipeta, S. medusa, S. obvallata and S. tangutica are often marketed as S. involucrate, and thus, the therapeutic effects of S. involucrate are not achieved. In an attempt to develop an immunoanalytical method for discriminating among these species, peptides from the six Saussurea species were analyzed and isolated by SDS-PAGE. Antisera were developed in mice against the protein pool of the species and tested by Western blot analysis. Using these antisera, some S . involucrate-specific peptides were detected. One of the antibodies in the antiserum developed against S . involucrate proteins recognized a single S . involucrate-specific peptide with a molecular mass of 28 kDa in 10000-fold dilution. It did not give any positive reactions against the sample prepared from adulterants, so that they could be easily distinguished at the molecular level. Finally, an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay has been developed to authenticate S . involucrate in commercially prepared crude drugs. This method provides effective and accurate identification of S . involucrate

Acknowledgements: This research was supported by the Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC 30770153).

References: [1] The state Pharmacopoeia Commission of the PRC. (2005) Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China. Chemical Industry Press. Beijing.